


The Tale of Loki and Sigyn (A Loki / Norse Mythology-Based Fiction)

by FM Svartkatt (FMeeper)



Series: Loki: Ragnarok [2]
Category: AU Norse Religion & Lore, Loki - Fandom, Norse Mytholgy, Norse Religion & Lore, Thor (Movies), sigyn - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Norse Religion & Lore, Doomed Valkyrie love, F/M, Heathen, Lokean - Freeform, Loki (Marvel) - Freeform, Loki (Norse Mythology) - Freeform, Loki Angst, Loki Does What He Wants, Loki-centric, Norse Religion & Lore - Freeform - Freeform, Pre-Thor (2011), Sigyn Does What She Wants, Thor (Marvel) - Freeform, Valkyrie Sigyn, Vikings not the Tudors, anti-monarchy, anti-monotheism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-27
Updated: 2016-02-26
Packaged: 2018-05-03 16:11:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 12,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5297729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FMeeper/pseuds/FM%20Svartkatt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prequel to Fight Your Fate (http://archiveofourown.org/works/4023793), pre-Thor movie. How Loki and Sigyn meet, development of their relationship; a further exercise in adding a Norse Mythology background to the basic Marvel outline; a more pro-Loki AU version of some Norse Mythology stories.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue / Ch. 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is heathen (but NOT anti-Loki)!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sigyn arrives in Asgard.

Prologue

“’Wisdom and chaos must unite  
The storm will linger on”  
-“Fusion of Sense and Earth,” Enslaved

On a summer’s day in the Northlands in the long long ago, a golden-haired shield maiden named Sigyn stood on a battlefield between mountains and gorge. On this day she had joined with warriors of like mind against the forces of the betrayer Óláfr Tryggvason. She was not the strongest, but she was agile, quick, and cunning. She had been in many battles and had always escaped unscathed, as if she were favored by Odin himself. 

Amidst the chaos of the battle, she suddenly caught a glimpse of two ravens to her left, over the gorge. She felt drawn toward them. She walked a left-hand path through the fighting warriors, her gaze still on the ravens. The glare of the sun nearly blinded her and made her milky-white skin look deathly pale. She tried to turn away from the ravens but found that wherever she looked, they were flying ahead of her.

Then in an instant she saw too late a warrior charging at her. His sword struck her in the chest, piercing her heart. The last thing she saw was a helmeted woman in gleaming chain mail. The woman stabbed her with a spear, and everything went black.

 

Ch. 1

Sigyn awoke to find the same woman standing over her and looking down at her. Her helmet was now off, revealing long, shiny brown hair. 

“Hello, Sigyn. Welcome to Asgard. My name is Aldegund. You are now a Valkyrie, and this is your hall. Odin chose you.”

Sigyn sat up on the bed on which she was laying and looked around. The hall was small but comfortable and seemed to have all the standard amenities. She looked at herself and saw that she had no wound, and also she felt fine.

“So this really happens,” she said, still rather stunned.

“It is my duty to introduce you to Asgard and your new role,” said Aldegund. “You will spend your time plucking warriors for Odin, as I have just done with you. You will also join all the warriors in Valhalla and assist with serving the feasts.”

Sigyn noticed that Aldegund sounded like she was reading from a script. “Are you not pleased?” she asked. 

Aldegund sighed. “I have been here many years. I was one of the first Valkyries in fact. So much has changed. I know you are of the old ways, and I fear that you will not like what this place has become.”

“Tell me what you mean,” prompted Sigyn.

“We used to feast with the Einherjar. I mean, we would pour the mead and bring out the food, but we were still honored participants. We also used to do as we pleased and could use magic openly. The only thing that really mattered was that we brought back the warriors that Odin and Freyja had chosen.”

“And now?” asked Sigyn.

“Now it seems we are treated as servants. The new Valkyries are not taught magic. Also, and this is perhaps most galling, we are not to have lovers. Odin has forbidden it.”

“What? Odin?” exclaimed Sigyn.

“Yes, that makes it all the worse, I know. I should not tell you this, so do not repeat it, but I used to be his lover,” said Aldegund. “That was long ago. I knew him first as Wōđanaz. I wasn’t the first, and I wasn’t the last, but I would be surprised if he even loves Frigga now.”

“His choice is his own, but we should be able to make our own choices too,” said Sigyn. 

“Yes. Yes, we should,” agreed Aldegund. 

Sigyn wasn’t sure why she should be so bothered by this rule. After all, she did not even know any men here yet, nor had she particularly ever liked anyone in Midgard. Still, she felt deeply offended that anyone, even Odin, would infringe on her natural rights.

“Also,” said Aldegund, “You should know that Odin calls himself King now.”

“King? Why would he call himself king when he is a god?” Sigyn asked incredulously.

“I know not, but he has built a palace around his old hall. With Odin being King, Frigga is Queen, and their sons Thor and Loki are princes.”

“Wait, Loki is Odin’s son?” asked Sigyn skeptically. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Yes,” replied Aldegund vaguely, possibly to Sigyn’s former sentence or possibly to the latter.

“And isn’t Thor the son of Jord?” Sigyn continued.

“We do not speak of such things,” replied Aldegund. “Let’s just say there may be reasons why Odin favors Thor and Frigga favors Loki. Anyway,” continued Aldegund, changing the subject, “It is nearly time for today’s feast. We must get ready and go to the dining hall in the palace…. You know, Valhalla.”

Aldegund walked over to a chest, took out a dress, and tossed it at Sigyn. “You’re supposed to wear this.”

Sigyn held up the dress. It had a white under-dress consisting of floofy-looking short sleeves and a too-low cut bodice and a knee-length outer red apron. “Ugh, great,” said Sigyn.

“You will like this better,” said Aldegund pointing to a chain mail shirt that was in the chest.

“Oh, nice!” exclaimed Sigyn.

“You also have a helmet and a spear, and your shield is magically reinforced now.”

“Can I keep my sword too? It’s an Ulfberht. I won it from an opponent.”

Aldegund shrugged. “I suppose so. Just carry your spear for ceremonial purposes. Odin likes spears.”

Aldegund then stepped outside while Sigyn changed into the dress. The chest also contained a pair of high-heeled slip-on shoes, the likes of which Sigyn had not seen before. She opted to put her boots back on. They departed for the palace but stopped at Aldegund’s hall so that she could also change. Then they walked to the palace. The Valkyrie quarters were on the palace grounds, a short distance from the palace itself. Sigyn observed resentfully that they were conveniently behind the palace, nearest the kitchen entrance. She was indeed starting to feel like a servant, and she had not died fighting for Odin to be the male warriors’ servant. 

Aldegund showed Sigyn to the dining hall and showed her where the meat and mead were brought out to be taken to the warriors. “After the feast is over, you can join the other Valkyries in the kitchen for your own meal and then return to your hall. I will come and get you in the morning for whatever is planned for tomorrow.”

“OK, thanks,” said Sigyn. She had a feeling that this was going to be a boring evening.


	2. Ravnajuv - Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki meets Sigyn. Magic happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is heathen (but NOT anti-Loki)!

Loki entered the dining hall with Thor. Thor had insisted that they feast with the Warriors that day. They spotted his friends, Fandral, Volstagg, and Hogun. 

“Greetings, my friends!” Thor exclaimed boisterously. They greeted him back with equal enthusiasm and just nodded at Loki. 

Loki sat down next to Thor and across from the three imbeciles. He would have preferred a quiet meal in his own chambers. 

“You, wench!” the warrior on Loki’s other side called to a Valkyrie who standing a few yards away in Thor and Loki’s aisle. She didn’t respond. “You, Valkyrie!” the warrior tried again.

The golden-haired woman slowly turned around and glared at the warrior. “Me? Did you just call me a wench?”

Loki smiled at her insolence. “That was very rude,” he said to the warrior. “I believe you owe her an apology.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, brother,” interjected Thor. “Now, maiden, please bring our table some more mead and my brother and I some dinner.” 

“Very well,” she said and headed toward the kitchen. She returned shortly with a tray holding a pitcher of mead and two dinner platters. She put everything down in the appropriate places on the table and said “Anything else.”

Thor didn’t notice that it wasn’t a question. “Not as of yet,” said Thor, quickly turning his attention back to the Warriors Three. Loki smirked at how her tone went over Thor’s head and watched her as she started walking away. 

She had barely turned around when the same rude warrior suddenly grabbed her ass. She spun around and hit him on the head with her tray that she was holding in her left hand. Loki laughed out loud. “Oh, oops,” she deadpanned.

“You bitch!” exclaimed the warrior.

Then Loki saw a sword start to appear in her right hand. He grabbed his drink in one hand, stood up, and grabbed her hand with his other hand to stop her sword from appearing.

“OK, let’s settle down. No harm done. Here, have my drink.” He handed his cup to the warrior. The oaf went to take a drink and shrieked and dropped the cup. Small snakes slithered out from the cup. The Valkyrie smiled. 

“Come with me,” Loki said, still holding her hand. He led her out of the dining hall, calling to Thor that he could have his meal. They exited into a hallway of the palace. Then he stopped and turned to her. “While I appreciate the sentiment and even would have liked to see it, I don’t think that stabbing a warrior with your sword in the dining hall is necessarily a good idea.”

“What are you talking about?” she asked.

“Oh, come on.”

She just stared at him, confused. He studied her as well and found her not unattractive. Not conventionally beautiful, but still…. There was something about the angle of her cheekbones… the way locks of her long hair curled up at the ends… her pale skin, greenish-brown eyes, thin lips, long fingers… her perky little breasts and the way she modestly pinned her bodice tighter so that it would not hang down too low… her slender hips and toned calves… and black leather boots, not the usual choice of footwear with that outfit. 

She snapped his wandering mind back to their conversation when she spoke again, attempting to break their stalemate. “No, really, what are you talking about?”

“You were summoning your sword,” he replied. “I saw the hilt start to appear in your hand.”

“Really? I can do that?” she asked, surprised.

“Apparently.”

“Cool!”

Loki smiled. “You know the runes.”

“My foster father’s mother taught me. She said they can be used for magic, but nothing ever happened before.”

“You are a magical creature yourself now. It works for you now. You need to be aware of what you are doing and learn how to control it.”

“Well, I’m not sure how….” 

“No worries. Today is your lucky day. I can help you.” He grinned.

“Really? You would do that? Why? Who are you anyway?” she asked.

“As for why, I think it would be fun. I’ve never actually met anyone before who is interested. By the way, hitting that oaf with the tray was hilarious. First entertaining thing I’ve seen in the dining hall since I don’t remember when. As for who I am, care to guess?” He smirked.

“Hmm.” She studied him. “Black leather. Lots of black leather. Very nice, by the way. Um, long black hair, pale, green eyes…. Green eyes. Spectacular cheekbones. Very attractive, not the usual square-jawed warrior…. Oh! Magic! The thing with the snakes. Loki?”

“The one and only!”

“Oh, my god!” she exclaimed and smiled widely.

“Indeed. I am your god.” He laughed at his own stupid joke. “And, who are you?”

“My name is Sigyn,” she replied, still smiling. 

Loki was enjoying not getting the usual disappointed reaction. Clearly, she was intelligent and had good taste. “Well, Sigyn, we can’t just stand here all night. Care to join me for dinner somewhere more private?”

“Um, I’m not sure if I…”

“Don’t worry. There are enough Valkyries. No one will notice that you are not in the hall, and I’ve shielded us with magic, so no one can bother us. We can go to the library. No warriors in there. Trust me.” He held out his hand to her.

As she placed her hand in his, she was instantly turned into an acorn. He put her in his pocket and strolled to the kitchen and grabbed a tray of food, a pitcher of water, and two glasses. “Excuse me, but Thor ate my whole meal before I could even sit down,” he commented to one of the cooks. 

Once in the library, he put the tray on a table, locked the heavy wood doors, and cast concealment magic over the room. He took the acorn out of his pocket, set it down on a couch, and changed Sigyn back to her normal form. 

Finding herself suddenly somewhere else, she freaked out a little. “What happened? How did I get here?”

Loki sat down next to her. “It’s OK. I turned you into an acorn and brought you here.”

“I’m not sure whether I find that really cool or really disturbing,” she said.

“Please go with ‘really cool.’ Sigyn, there are some things that you should know,” he stated. “We have to be careful even if we are just having dinner. I know of Odin’s stupid new rules. I have used magic to conceal us in this room. One never knows when Odin will send his ravens or what he sees from his high seat. Also, Heimdall.... Well, Heimdall is the super spy of Asgard.”

She looked nervous now.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ve been evading them most of my life, and I can teach you how to too.” 

He taught her the runes to use for concealment and had her practice, first on various objects, then on herself and on the entire room. She took to using magic easily.

As Loki had noticed that Sigyn kept fidgeting with her dress, he decided what her next lesson should be. “You could take that off,” he suggested.

“Haha,” she said.

“I mean change into something else,” he said.

“I don’t have anything else.”

“I’m sure you do. What do you usually wear?”

“I don’t have that with me,” she retorted.

Loki then magically and seamlessly changed his clothes from his black leather outfit to a more comfortable looking green tunic and different, but still black, pants.

“Oh,” she said. 

He told her the runes to use while visualizing her outfit that she wanted to wear. “You try it. I will look away in case you need some practice before you get it all together.” He lied down on the couch, putting his legs behind her, and put a pillow over his face.

Sigyn stood up. “Very gracious of you.”

After a few minutes consisting of sporadic swearing, Sigyn exclaimed, “OK, you can look!”

Loki tossed aside the pillow and saw her standing next to him. She was now wearing her own green tunic, black leather pants, a black leather belt, and the same black leather boots she had been wearing. Loki smiled up at her. “Oh, yes! That suits you.”

Sigyn smiled.

Loki sat up. “Let’s eat now.” 

They dug into their shared meal and ate quickly.

“I didn’t realize how hungry I was,” said Sigyn. She leaned back on the couch.

“Magic uses energy,” said Loki. He turned sideways to face her. “You’re pretty new here, aren’t you? How long have you been here?”

“Just since earlier today,” she replied.

Loki was somewhat taken aback. “I’m sorry. You haven’t even had time to settle. I can’t believe you had to serve those oafs on the same day as… Well, what happened?”

She told him about the battle and getting stabbed and ending up in her new hall.

“You are braver than me," said Loki. “I know it’s not as good here as it used to be, but I hope you will like it.”

“At first I was disappointed, but my day got better as it went along,” she said, smiling slightly at him.

“Good,” he replied. “So, then…. Did you leave behind anyone special?”

Her eyes widened. “Oh! My cat! He’s a big, black forest cat. His name is Svartkatt. Who will look after him?” She looked sad now. 

“I’m sure he can take care of himself,” Loki tried to comfort her.

“Yes, and I am sure that my foster family will look after him, but he will miss me.” She was obviously trying not to cry now. “OK, well, I will miss him.”

Loki moved closer and put his arms around her. She accepted his embrace and cried into his shoulder as she held onto him. After she composed herself, she said, “I’m sorry, this is the first moment I have had to think about all of this.”

“It’s OK,” he said. “No husband or children then?”

“No,” she replied. “I did not want that path. I did not want a family. I actually do not like children at all. Also, as a shield maiden I could at least have friends. If you marry a man, suddenly all he cares about is how many sons you can have for him. It ruins everything. I am not the type that anyone thinks of as more than a friend anyway.”

“I don’t know about that,” Loki cut in.

“Except for that one oaf that tried to attack me,” she continued. “He thought of me as an object.”

“What happened?”

Sigyn pushed up her tunic and revealed a dagger in a sheath that was strapped to her pants. “He is dead.”

“Good,” Loki smirked. “So, no lovers? You’ve never wanted one?”

“It’s not that I don’t want… It’s just that… I am picky. Also, as I said, I do not want children. Many people said that I am selfish for that. Do you think less of me for it?” she asked.

“No, of course not. I think more of you for knowing your own mind. Besides, I like selfish.” He grinned mischievously.

She laughed and joked, “Well, where have you been all my life?”

He smiled then looked serious and put his hand on her shoulder. “I’m here for you now.” She smiled softly, suddenly seeming shy. 

“Are you currently with anyone?” she asked.

“I am with you,” he replied.

“You know what I mean.”

“There is no one else. Anyway, it’s getting late. Let me take you back to your hall.” She nodded. “I’ll conceal us,” continued Loki, casting magic around them. He held her hand and showed her the way from the library back to the dining hall and kitchen. They continued outside as she then led him to her hall. 

“Will you meet me in the dining hall tomorrow night?” asked Loki.

“Yes, I’d like that,” Sigyn replied.

“Goodnight,” said Loki. He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. 

“Goodnight,” replied Sigyn, smiling.


	3. Ravnajuv - Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sigyn meets Odin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is heathen (but NOT anti-Loki)!

The next morning Sigyn awoke to a knock on her door. She was wearing just a nightshirt, which she had found in her clothes chest along with more sets of tunics and leather pants, so she magicked on one of the tunic and pants outfits, then ran to the door and opened it. It was Aldegund, so she let her in.

“Good morning,” said Aldegund. “How was your first evening at the feast?”

“Oh, fine,” replied Sigyn, hoping that she hadn’t noticed her absence.

“Good,” said Aldegund. Apparently, she hadn’t noticed. Sigyn suspected that she would not particularly care anyway. “Today you will meet Odin.”

Sigyn was rather surprised and felt a bit nervous yet excited. She grabbed her spear and walked with Aldegund to the palace’s kitchen entrance. They stopped in the kitchen for a quick breakfast, then Aldegund led her through the palace and to the throne room. Aldegund knocked on the heavy golden doors. Two guards holding spears opened the doors and let them in.

Aldegund led them up to the throne. “Allfather,” she said, “This is your new Valkyrie, Sigyn.”

“Greetings,” said Sigyn. She bowed slightly, not having any clue what she was supposed to do.

Odin had neatly trimmed shoulder-length gray hair and an equally neatly trimmed short beard. His face was round, and he was a bit plump. He wore a royal-looking outfit with some shiny metal armor. He did not look at all as she had expected.

Odin rose and told Aldegund and the guards to leave. When they exited, he said, “Welcome, Sigyn. I had been watching you in Midgard for some time.”

“Then why take me now? I was fighting for you, for freedom!”

“I know,” he said wearily. Suddenly he revealed his true form. He was wearing a wide-brimmed tall hat and was wrapped in a grayish-blue cloak over a blue tunic and black leather pants. The metal eye patch was gone, and his dark but graying hair covered his missing eye. His hair and his beard were longer and scragglier, his face was thinner and more angular, and he was taller. “Sigyn, the world is changing. I thought it was the right time to bring you to Valhalla. I have seen the future. Women like you will be burned at the stake.”

“If you don’t agree with the way things are going in Midgard, why call yourself king? Why adopt their rules?” she challenged.

“The time of the gods is over. This is the time of kings. Just as the Vanir assimilated with the Aesir, and the Goddess of Love became also leader of the Valkyries, we too must adapt if we want to survive.”

“But, some things should be rejected, not accepted!” she argued.

“Our fates are decided. There is little we can do to resist. The Midgardian folk will forget us. They are being told of a new sky kingdom and will not want to die to go to that of the war gods,” he countered.

“You are more than a war god! What about wisdom? And poetry? And shamanism?”

“The people have turned their backs on those things already,” scoffed Odin. “But not you. I like you, Sigyn, but you need to accept my decisions. Asgard will be our own kingdom, something the Midgardians will still be able to understand and see themselves reflected in for centuries to come. If we want to survive, we must have one king, the highest god: me. And then, my princely son, the protector of the people: Thor. We also need a devil. Yes, a devil….” He trailed off as if talking to himself. “This is how people understand things now,” he continued. “If they cannot understand us, then they will not remember us.”

Sigyn frowned. Odin changed back into his new form, and continued, “I would like for you to be one of my Valkyrie counsel. You will stand up here by Hliðskjálf, the throne, with me during official ceremonies, law-making decisions, and such.”

“I am honored,” said Sigyn calmly. “Thank you.” She figured having Odin’s ear and being in the loop of the happenings of the realms would be better than not.

“You may be called to battle occasionally, but you need not serve in the dining hall,” said Odin.

 _Even better_ , thought Sigyn.

“You may go. I will summon you when I need you,” said Odin. He then handed her a ring that had a large black stone on it. “It will turn gray-blue when I summon you here for meetings. It will turn dark blue when I summon you here for battle.”

Sigyn nodded and then turned and exited the throne room. She met Aldegund in the hallway and told her the news.

“That is good news,” said Aldegund. “I stood by his side myself once. Until he tired of me.”

Sigyn frowned. “I don’t mean to be harsh, just realistic. It is good news though,” said Aldegund.

“What do I do when Odin doesn’t need me here?” asked Sigyn.

“When he does not require your presence, your time is your own.”

At that, Sigyn smirked.


	4. Ravnajuv - Part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sigyn and Loki discuss her meeting with Odin, her Midgardian folk, etc. and are critical of things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is heathen (but NOT anti-Loki)!

That evening Sigyn went to the dining hall to look for Loki. Since she was wearing a tunic and pants instead of the serving dress, some of the other Valkyries and Einherjar were giving her odd looks. She stood in the doorway of the kitchen until she saw Loki come in with the same oafs with whom he was sitting yesterday. She saw him excuse himself from them and start walking up the aisles, looking around. Then he looked toward the kitchen and saw her and smiled mischievously as he walked toward her.

“What’s with _this_?” he asked, tugging on her sleeve. “Is someone being a bad girl?”

“Actually, I have a new job,” she replied, smiling. 

He led her around a corner to a pantry where no one could see them. He held out his hand.

“Oh, _that_ again?” she asked.

“Oh, yes!” he exclaimed slyly. 

The next thing she knew, she was sitting on a couch, but she was not in the library. Loki was sitting next to her, and a tray of food was on a table in front of them. As usual there was enough food for two people who were not Thor or Volstagg. There was also a bottle of wine and two chalices. Sigyn looked around the room. On one side was a large, heavy-looking, ornately carved wood door. On the other side was an open doorway through which she could see a bed. 

“Are we in your chambers?” she asked.

“Yes. I hope you don’t mind,” said Loki.

“Well, I guess we’ll see,” she said vaguely.

“I thought we would practice illusions a bit today. Illusions are very useful. You can use them to disguise yourself as a random guard or servant and walk around without anyone knowing who you really are. You can also disguise objects to look like other objects,” said Loki. 

“Sounds good,” said Sigyn. And so, he taught her the magic for illusions. She came up with a guard disguise and a servant disguise for herself. Then Loki poured wine into one of the chalices, and she made it look like snakes, as he had done in the dining hall the day before. After Loki decided that she had learned sufficiently, they ate their dinner.

“What’s this about a new job?” he asked between bites of food.

“I met Odin today,” she replied. “He made me one of his Valkyrie counsel.”

“I will be seeing you in the throne room then. What did you think of Odin?”

“He has given up,” replied Sigyn. Loki looked puzzled. “On his own era. On all of us.”

“But, he is still king,” countered Loki.

“Exactly,” she scoffed. “More a king now than a god.”

“You are not impressed by kings?”

“No,” said Sigyn. “I knew of kings and other rulers in Midgard, They are all corrupt. The longer they are in power, the worse they get. They do not hesitate to betray their own people to strengthen their power. That is exactly what Odin has started to do!”

“On one hand, I like your irreverence, but on the other hand, I am a prince,” said Loki.

“I consider you a fire god.”

“Hmm…. Well, ‘fire god’ does actually have a better ring to it than ‘prince.’ Tell me more, wise Valkyrie. What else do you know of me?”

“I… What I know of you is that you cause destruction, but your actions are necessary for growth, for progress. You are concerned with your own self-preservation, yet you get yourself into trouble and provide the gods with gifts that benefit them.”

“That sounds fairly accurate,” conceded Loki.

They finished eating, then Loki said, “Tell me more of you. You said you have a foster family? What of your birth parents?”

“It is complicated,” she said.

“I’m listening.”

“My father was a trader. He was Germanic and lived in the port settlement at the mouth of the Vistula. His ancestors also knew of you - the gods that I was raised to know – but they had different names. They were forced by Charlemagne to convert. Many people were slaughtered for resisting. My mother was Slavic and had journeyed there with her family from further down the river to trade rye grain. They met and ended up together,” Sigyn stated, pausing periodically to drink the wine. “I was born early, and my mother died when birthing me. My father was not able to raise me on his own, never being home, so he brought me to a friend that he traded with in Hordaland. He asked this friend if he knew of a suitable foster family. He gave me to his brother, who was a blacksmith. I was raised by him and his wife in Hordaland. His mother also helped. As I said, his mother told me of the runes and also their beliefs and folktales. My father would visit when he was in port. He wanted me to be raised in the old ways and said that my mother’s people also knew of their own gods: fertility gods, war gods. Their faith was dualistic: they worshipped both dark and light forces. They believed that these kept the universe in balance. They also knew of many nature spirits like the rusalka and magical creatures like firebirds. And shape-shifting wizards!” she smacked Loki on the arm. “I wish I could tell you more of these things, but….” She threw her hands in the air and sighed. “The new church did much to destroy these beliefs and demonize the nature spirits and magicians. Being that I did not actually get to know my mother or her people, I only know these little bits that my father was able to learn from my mother before she died.”

“Why does all that seem so… relevant… or something to me?” mused Loki. They had finished off the bottle of wine by this time.

“I know, right?” Sigyn laughed. “You know what else? They even have a similar folk tale to a Norse one. Something about someone who abducted a princess, and his life was kept not in his body but in an egg. In the other one, a giant kept his heart in an egg. The thing with the princess is in that one too.” 

“That’s fascinating,” said Loki. They were leaning against each other on the couch.

“I’m suddenly really tired,” said Sigyn. “I’m sorry. I don’t usually drink much wine."

“You are a real lightweight,” joked Loki. 

“I know. My ancestors would be embarrassed -or, at least my Norse family’s ancestors. That is what they judge on: how much one can drink.”

“And how many people one has killed,” added Loki.

“And the great deeds one has done,” said Sigyn.

“’Great deeds’ is what they call killing,” said Loki.

“True,” Sigyn conceded. “Some ancestors.”

“Be careful, Sigyn, you implicate your Allfather, the ancestor of the ancestors,” said Loki slyly. “And, of couse, _good_ Heimdall, who saw fit to create three classes of people: the nobility; the peasants to serve them, and the thralls to serve them all.”

“How _thoughtful_ of him,” said Sigyn sarcastically.

“Your mind and your tongue are sharp. If your ancestors have any sense, they are proud of _that_.”

“I would not hold my breath,” she muttered. 

“Well, it is late. Perhaps I should take you back to your hall now.”

“I suppose so,” she said. 

“Do you want to use illusions or concealment yourself this time, or should I turn you into an acorn again?” asked Loki.

“Oh,” she sighed. “Just turn me into an acorn this time, but if I ever get eaten by a squirrel, I swear I will kill you.”

Loki laughed and held out his hand. “I promise to never let a squirrel get ahold of you.” 

And so, he took her to her hall, as he had the night before, and he kissed her goodnight, as he had the night before.

***Ch. 4 notes: Some of this chapter especially may not quite be feasible as far the pre-Hanseatic League trading route, but in that, I am following in the grand traditions of the movie Thor (Loki’s birth year), the TV show Vikings (same characters raiding Lindisfarne and Paris and becoming the Normans), and even writers of sagas and histories, so screw it. In fact, that makes it all the more appropriate to do it at some point.***


	5. Ravnajuv - Part 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sigyn and Loki clarify their relationship. In the spruce forest. (sexual situations).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is heathen (but NOT anti-Loki)!

Sigyn and Loki continued to meet in the evenings and practice magic and dine together. Sigyn told Loki more tales of her life in Midgard, and Loki told Sigyn of his adventures with Odin and Hønir and with Thor and what Asgard was like before Odin started changing things. One evening he took her to the stables and introduced her to Sleipnir. Since she understood the nature of shape-shifting, she did not freak out or mock him.

During the day Sigyn would spend time training with the other Valkyries or jogging around the palace grounds because she enjoyed the exercise. On the Tuesday of the week, she was summoned to battle to pluck a warrior for Odin. She went to the throne room, and Odin magicked her to Midgard, where the ravens guided her to the sought-after warrior, who did not see her until he was already dying. She stabbed him with her spear, and they were transported back to Asgard.

On the Wednesday of the week, Sigyn was summoned by Odin to a meeting in the throne room, and she stood on his left side. A red-haired Valkyrie named Ragna stood on his right, and his wolves Freki and Geri sat at his feet. Only routine matters were discussed, but Sigyn was introduced to Frigga, Thor, and Loki (or so they pretended that this was their first meeting).

On her ninth day in Asgard, Sigyn was taking a break from morning training with a few other Valkyries, and Loki, Thor, and Sif walked by.

“Let us take a break here,” Sif announced loudly, stopping in front of the Valkyries, who were sitting casually on the grass. Sif sat down on a bench. “Thankfully Odin’s she-wolves did not take this spot.”

“Must you, Sif?” said Loki. “Aren’t I the one who is supposed to stir up trouble?” Loki stopped in front of Sigyn and smirked at her but then casually looked away.

“That is true, brother,” Thor chuckled.

“But, they are so vulgar. You know I how I disdain such women who swear and fight,” said Sif.

“Yet you stopped right in front of us,” interjected Sigyn. Loki laughed.

Sif gasped. “You are just jealous of my hair.”

“Her hair isn’t that different from yours, Sif,” said Loki.

“That is also true, brother,” Thor chuckled again.

Sif glared at both of them. “Then she is jealous of my curves!”

“I assure you, I am not,” said Sigyn. “Perhaps it is you who wishes to be a warrior, but Goddess of the Harvest is a noble profession. We need not all be the same.”

Sif just huffed and turned away, as she could not think of a reply.

Loki smiled at Sigyn again then turned to Thor and Sif. “I’ll leave you two alone for the rest of your walk.” He quickly walked away, disappearing around the corner of the palace.

A few minutes later a gray horse appeared from around the same corner and walked slowly toward Sigyn and the others.

“I think that horse is lost,” announced Sigyn. “I’ll just escort it back to the stables.” She walked up to the horse, which knelt down so that she could mount it. “OK, then,” she said under her breath. Once she was sitting comfortably with her arms around the horse’s neck, the horse trotted off back around the other side of the palace. As soon as they were out of anyone’s sight, the horse galloped toward the spruce forest. When they reached the tree line, Loki changed back into his normal form, quickly grabbing Sigyn’s legs, as he carried her on his back with her arms wrapped around him.

Once they were a few yards into the forest, he put her down and smiled at her. “I thought you might like to get away from Thor’s insufferable wife. Also, I would rather walk with you than with them.” He took her hand, and they walked deeper into the forest.

“Is she always like that?” asked Sigyn.

“Oh, yes,” replied Loki. “Unfortunately, there is not much escaping her when Thor is home and not off picking a fight in Jotunheim. They were fated to be together, you know. God of Thunder and Goddess of the Harvest.”

“Yeah,” said Sigyn.

“That does not, however, stop them from being with others,” added Loki. “I think that Sif puts on a show of being maudlinly romantic to try to cover it up. Thor just does not care.”

“That’s a shame,” said Sigyn.

“Anyway… did you like having me between your legs?” asked Loki slyly.

“Do not tease me.” She let go of his hand and walked ahead of him.

“I did not mean to tease,” he said apologetically.

She stopped and turned around to look at him. “What then? Do you want to lay with me? Or, am I just your friend? I enjoy our time together, but I need to know.”

“Yes, we need to talk,” said Loki. They came to a clearing with a fallen tree. He motioned for her to have a seat on the tree trunk, and he sat down next to her. “Sigyn, you are smart, funny, and beautiful, and in this short time, you have become my best friend, but more than that. I want more than that. Will you be my lady?”

“Yes. Yes, I will.” Sigyn smiled. “I was afraid you just saw me as a friend.”

“I was afraid that was all that you would want. Or that you would say you could not even if you wanted it. Oh, and don’t worry, I won’t get you pregnant. I know you do not want that. I would have asked sooner, but I wanted you to be sure in your answer, given the situation. Also, I wanted to be confident that you would not stab me.”

Sigyn laughed. “As far as Odin’s rules, they are against logic and nature. I will have what I want. I will not be coerced to submit to anyone’s tyrannical rule,” she said.

“Yes, that is why I love you,” Loki said with admiration.

“Love?” she asked.

“Yes. I love you, Sigyn.”

“I love you too, Loki.” They hugged tightly and finally kissed passionately. Then Loki took off her belt and started fondling her under her shirt as they continued to kiss. Then he knelt down in front of her and took off her boots.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Taking your clothes off.” He then magicked a plush fur blanket onto the ground in front of them.

“Here? Now?”

“Why not? I have concealed us.” He led her to the blanket, and she laid down. He unlaced her leather pants and took them off. He paused and looked at her. “You are nervous?”

“Only for lack of experience,” she replied.

“Don’t worry, you will soon have plenty.” He kissed her again. She lifted up her arms so he could pull off her tunic, then he magicked off his own clothes. She turned over and positioned herself so that she was on her hands and knees, offering herself to him. She gasped in pleasure as he first caressed her then grasped the blanket in pain as he entered her. And so, they fucked as every animal does and soon reached ecstasy.

Afterward, as they lay together with the fur blanket wrapped around them, Sigyn looked up at the majestic Norway spruces with their drooping green evergreen foliage and the beams of sunlight that sporadically shown through their darkness. “This forest, this is the real Asgard, not that ridiculous palace,” she said.

“That is why we are here,” said Loki, and he kissed her. 

 

“Where is the essence

In beast or scripture

Where lie the laws

In stars or temples”

-Enslaved, “Essence”


	6. Ravnajuv - Part 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sigyn requests Loki's assistance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is heathen (but NOT anti-Loki)!

For the next nine nights, Loki and Sigyn did things besides rune magic. They felt as equals with each other, and she loved him freely, unencumbered by false morals or pretenses. On the tenth night, Sigyn did not show up to meet Loki in his chambers as planned. Concerned, he went to her hall to check on her the next morning. 

Sigyn heard a tapping on her door and went to the door and opened it. There stood a brown hawk, which promptly walked inside once she opened the door. Loki then turned into his normal form. Sigyn smiled.

“You didn’t show up,” he said questioningly. 

“I wanted to, but….” She hesitated.

“What?” he prompted.

“I did not feel well. I am having the bleeding.” She looked depressed.

“Is that not good? I told you I would not get you pregnant.”

“I just didn’t think… I didn’t think this would happen anymore. It’s not fair! I am dead!” she exclaimed.

“Well, you’re not _dead_ dead.”

“I thought I was now more evolved than this though. I need it to stop! I can’t imagine going through this forever. There must be some magic to stop it? And, not with more hormones to make me ill. Explode my ovaries, Loki!”

“Heh, uh, I think that is just an expression,” he said.

“But, there must be some magic?”

“This is not my area of expertise, but I will find out,” he replied. “Come, let’s sit down.” He led her over to her couch, and she cuddled up to him. He put his hand under her shirt and started rubbing her lower back.

“What magic is this?” she sighed.

“No magic,” he said softly.

“Yet it is.” She hugged him tighter.

He stayed with her for a while then said, “I’m going to go find what you need. I will come back later,” he promised. 

Back at the palace, Loki used illusions to disguise himself as a maid and went to the library. He pretended to dust the shelves as he scanned the books until he found those for which he was looking.

As promised, he returned to Sigyn’s hall that evening. He handed her a small drawstring bag. It contained more items than seemed possible to fit in it. She pulled out a book called _Women’s Biology and Magic_. 

“I thought that one sounded appropriate, but if not, let me know,” said Loki.

“Thank you,” said Sigyn. She pulled out another book. “ _Birds of Midgard_?”

“You need to learn shape-shifting!” he said excitedly. “Bird form is useful. Look through it and find a few birds that appeal to you and study them.”

“OK,” she smiled. “I look forward to it.”

As she had felt more items in the bag, she pulled out the next thing: a falcon skin.

“Also useful for when you need to be a bird. It contains its own magic,” said Loki.

Sigyn then pulled out some stones.

“These are healing stones,” said Loki. “One should always carry some. You never know when you may need them. You press them to a wound or other injury, and the magic heals it.”

“Thank you for all of these things, Loki.” She hugged him. “Will you stay with me tonight?”

“Of course. I want to stay with you every night.”


	7. Ravnajuv - Part 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shape-shifting. Birds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is heathen (but NOT anti-Loki)!

A few days later, Loki asked Sigyn how her learning from the books was coming along and how she was feeling.

“Better than ever!” she exclaimed.

“Good. If it weren’t for magic, Asgard would be ridiculously overpopulated,” said Loki. “How about the bird book? Have any of the birds caught your fancy?”

“Yes, I can’t wait to try it,” replied Sigyn.

“Let’s go then,” said Loki.

They went to the vast plain of Vigrid so that they would have plenty of room. No one else paid much attention to the area, but Loki kept up his concealment magic as always, just in case.

“All right, then,” said Loki, and he taught her the runes for shape-shifting, turning himself into a hawk and back. She did the same but turned into a fierce-looking large gray, black, and white eagle. The double-crested gray feathers on her head stood up like a crown, and she looked like a harbinger of death. Loki just stared at her. She started flapping her wings and took off. She flew around shakily in a circle a couple of times and then descended back down toward Loki. In fact, she headed right toward him. He tried to get out of the way, but she followed his path.

“Shit,” muttered Loki just before the eagle crashed into him. Suddenly, he was lying on the ground with Sigyn, back in her normal form, lying on top of him.

“Really? This whole plain, and you crash right into me?” said Loki.

“Heh, sorry,” said Sigyn. They both laughed. 

“What was that anyway?” asked Loki. He had his arms around her as she still lay on top of him.

“A harpy eagle! They are named after the women of Greek mythology who take their dead to their underworld. They are from rainforests in the Southlands across the ocean.”

“Yeeeeah…,” began Loki.

“What?” She rolled off him and looked at him.

“Well… We really don’t have those here. It would be conspicuous and not suited to our climate. I find that falcon or hawk is a good choice. Practical, yet common. Owl is a good choice if you want your flight to be silent.”

Sigyn looked disappointed.

“Don’t get me wrong,” Loki quickly added. “It is a spectacular bird! And suits you well!”

She smiled slightly.

“Perhaps you could just try something else though,” suggested Loki. 

“Fine.” She then turned into a white morph gyrfalcon and practiced flying again, this time landing cleanly. 

“Is that OK?” she asked.

“Perfect,” said Loki.

From then on, Sigyn added flying to her morning workout routine, mixed in with battle practice and jogging.

 

[Notes: for more info on these birds, check out:

<http://peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/Harpy_Eagle>

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harpy_eagle>

<http://peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/Gyrfalcon>

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyrfalcon> ]


	8. Ravnajuv - Part 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Treasures of the Gods (AU version, Sigyn's point-of-view). [sexual innuendo; violence (not graphic)].

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is heathen (but NOT anti-Loki)!

The Treasures of the Gods (AU Version)

One afternoon Sigyn’s ring from Odin turned gray-blue, summoning her to the throne room. Not being a Wednesday, this couldn’t possibly be for routine business. She hurried to the throne room and entered through a rear door to take her place beside Odin.

To her horror, she saw Loki being held by two guards and a fuming Thor pacing in front of him. Somewhat to her amusement, however, she saw Sif with a spikey, short new hair cut. It turned out that Loki had chopped off Sif’s hair, and Thor was threatening to kill him. It was decided that Loki would have to fix Sif’s hair, and he promptly set off on his quest.

“Why would he do this?” Sif wailed after he was gone.

“Because he is an ass. He insults me personally by cutting my wife’s hair,” said Thor.

“Well, I think it’s a little more complicated than that,” said Sigyn.

“I agree,” said Ragna.

“Go on, wise Valkyries, explain to Thor and Sif,” said Odin.

“It is his function,” said Sigyn.

“The harvest must be reaped,” said Ragna.

“Otherwise, what good is it?” continued Sigyn.

“Thus, being cleared, the crops can be used,” said Ragna.

“And the soil replenished to grow the next year’s harvest,” finished Sigyn. “You did not help yourself though, Sif, by baiting him with your constant bragging about your hair.”

Thor and Sif could not have cared less and still looked irate, but Odin, in a rare moment, briefly flashed his true form and grinned and said slyly. “You know too much, wise Valkyries.” He quickly snapped back to King Odin and said, “You may both leave. I will summon you back when Loki returns.”

Sigyn went to her hall and sat down on her bed. This may have been inevitable, even necessary, as she thought in her rational mind, but she felt sick with worry, for he was not just a god; he was everything to her.

Some time later, her ring turned gray-blue again, so she went back to the throne room. Loki was there with a dwarf named Brokk. Loki presented the gifts that he had gotten the sons of Ivaldi to make for the gods: the spear Gungnir for Odin, the magical ship Skidbladnir for Freyr, and, of course, hair of gold for Sif. Then Brokk presented the gifts, which goaded by Loki to prove themselves more skilled than the sons of Ivaldi, he had made with his brother Eitri: the self-multiplying gold ring Draupnir for Odin, the boar Gullinbursti for Freyr, and the hammer Mjølnir for Thor.

Thor was immediately fascinated with Mjølnir and proclaimed it the best gift. Loki protested that the shaft was short.

“He has a point,” said Sigyn. “From what I have heard, it is preferable for the shaft to be longer.”

Loki smirked.

“Nonsense. How it can be used is what matters,” said Thor.

Sigyn rolled her eyes. Loki was still smirking.

The gods all proclaimed Brokk the winner of the wager. Brokk demanded his prize: Loki’s head. Loki ran off and Thor chased after him, at Odin’s urging.

“How could you? He is your son!” Sigyn exclaimed to Odin.

“Loki knows nothing of honor. He will say anything to get what he wants,” said Odin.

“Isn’t that why you need him,” she challenged. “You know nothing of loyalty.”

“Why defend him so?” asked Odin.

“I only speak the truth.”

“I am sure that the Sly One will talk his way out of this,” said Odin.

“Still…” Sigyn started to protest.

Thor then burst back into the throne room, dragging Loki along with him. Sigyn found that everything was going blurry to her, and she leaned on her spear to steady herself. She let her hair fall in front of her face, trying to not be noticed, but only Loki glanced at her. She desperately wondered if there was some magic she could use to blow up the whole throne room but not harm her and Loki. Then she heard him say it: the dwarf could not have his neck.

The dwarf settled for sewing Loki’s lips together to shut him up. Sigyn once again felt sick and wanted to burn everything but could do nothing. She had no doubt of Odin’s enjoyment of the situation, for the Terrible One’s cruelty was legendary. When the dwarf was done with his barbaric act, Loki ran out, and Odin dismissed everyone else.

Sigyn hurried out the back door, checked that no one else was looking, concealed herself, and turned into a falcon. She flew over the palace grounds, looking for Loki. She found him in a field and landed in front of him, changing back her form and spreading the concealment magic over him.

“Let me help you,” she said. He was fuming, but she grabbed his hand and quickly led him back to her hall.

“Lie down,” she instructed him, pointing to the bed. He did so. She grabbed a pair of scissors and snipped the leather stich into small pieces, repeatedly saying “sorry” as she pulled them out. Then she grabbed the healing stones that Loki had given her and used them on the wounds.

When she was finished with the task, she said, “OK, well, how do you feel?”

Loki sat up and felt his lips. “Seemingly fine,” he answered. “How do I look?”

“Beautiful as ever. There is no scarring. These things work,” Sigyn said of the healing stones. She sat down next him.

Loki started laughing, a bit maniacally. “Odin and Thor will be very disappointed.”

Sigyn, however, did not laugh with him. “Your own family did not care if the dwarf killed you! Thor is too stupid and full of rage to care what he does, and Odin is too cold and cruel to side with you. I do not know which of them is worse!”

“I know how they are,” said Loki.

“Odin speaks of honor, but what of his? He thinks your gifts are ill-gotten, but he has no qualms about accepting them. And, I could do nothing! I had to just stand there and watch!” Sigyn fumed. “I wanted to kill them all!”

Loki smiled. “That would not be very practical. It is the thought that counts in this case. You do know how to make me feel better.”

Sigyn smiled slightly. She put her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

“I think I should avoid the palace for a while, let this blow over,” continued Loki. “Can I stay here?”

“Of course.” She said. “Loki?” she added hesitantly.

“What?”

“Could you maybe try to not get yourself into such situations?”

“You know that I cannot promise that.”

“I know,” she sighed.

“I will have revenge someday though, I can promise that,” he said darkly.

She nodded.

He saw that she was still upset. “Come here,” he said, sounding lighter again as he pulled her closer and kissed her. “See, I’m fine,” he said, but she saw a new anger in his eyes from the gods’ betrayal.


	9. Ravnajuv - Part 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter but with an important event.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is heathen (but NOT anti-Loki)!

The next morning Sigyn went out to get their breakfast from the kitchen. Upon returning home, she found Loki waiting for her, standing near the door and smirking.

“What did you do?” she asked jokingly and smiled.

“Nothing,” said Loki slyly as he took the tray of food from her and put it on the table.

Sigyn grabbed an apple from the tray as he took it. She bit it hungrily and savored the juice that was both sweet and sour. Loki still smiled slyly as he watched her eat the fruit.

“No, really, what?” she asked when she finished. She tossed the core onto the tray. “Don’t tell me you killed Thor or Odin,” she said drolly. “I was only gone for a few minutes!”

Loki laughed. “No! I’ve been thinking about something.” He led her over to the couch, and they sat down next to each other. “Sigyn, it is clear to me that you are more my family than those psychopathic gods in the palace. I love you as both my friend and my lover. Will you be my wife?”

“Yes! Of course!” Sigyn smiled and threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly and kissed him. “I feel the same about you. I could want no other as a husband.” Then she pondered, “How will that work, getting married, when no one can even know about us?”

“We don’t need anyone to know, although I would like for everyone to know. I had hoped that we could tell them at some point, but now I would not risk that. I would not risk you. I do not trust Odin at all.”

“Nor do I,” she said. “Even if we must still be secretive, that is better than nothing.”

He then took her hands in his and spoke binding runes. She saw green light shimmer around their ring fingers and then disappear. She spoke the same runes, and her magic shimmered gray-blue. They kissed again to seal the deal. Then he stood up and took her hands again and led her to the bed.


	10. Ravnajuv - Part 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Idunn's Apples and the Marriage of Skadi (AU version)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is heathen (but NOT anti-Loki)!

Loki eventually started spending time at the palace again, as he could not stay away forever. Nothing much really changed for Loki in Sigyn in marriage. Years and then decades passed relatively uneventfully until one day Sigyn came home from battle to find Loki in a rather frantic state.

“I’ve done something,” Loki said.

“Oh god, what?”

“You know how I was just away for a while with Odin and Hønir. Well, of course, _I_ had to be the one to get dinner. The ox wouldn’t cook. It turned out to be enchanted, so we had to let this eagle eat some of it. _Some_ of it, we said. Well, he really went at it, already not leaving much for us. Long story short, the eagle carried me off and wouldn’t let me go until I promised him Idunn and her apples. The eagle turned out to be the frost Jotun Thiazi.”

Sigyn sighed. “Did you do it? Bring him Idunn and her apples?”

“Well, yes.”

Sigyn sighed again. “You have to get her back!”

“I know that!”

Her ring from Odin glowed as if listening in on their conversation. “I think you are wanted in the throne room also,” she said.

They went to the throne room and made their separate entrances. The gods were quite upset at the sudden onset of aging caused by the loss of Idunn’s apples. 

“You must be behind this,” Odin accused Loki. He glared at him until he admitted what happened.

“Oh, Loki,” said Frigga. “Why didn’t you come to us for help?”

“ _Help?_ When has anyone ever _helped_? None of you helped when Brokk threatened to kill me! None of you helped when I had to stop that Jotun from winning the bet about the wall!” Loki shouted.

“Those incidents were your fault, as is this,” stated Odin.

“Oh, yes! It is my _fault_ that you have Gungnir and Thor has Mjølnir and that we have a wall and our enemies can’t just walk right in here anymore!” shouted Loki.

Odin and Loki looked at each other, glaring. Frigga looked a bit guilty. Sigyn looked concerned. Thor looked absent-mindedly at nothing in particular. Ragna looked like she thought that they were all idiots.

“Maybe we should just get on to fixing the matter at hand,” Ragna suggested.

Loki was threatened with death once again and was ordered to retrieve Idunn and her apples. He borrowed one of Freyja’s falcon skins and flew off to Jotunheim.

Odin watched everything from his high seat and prepared a trap. As the eagle chased the falcon to the wall of Asgard, Thiazi flew right into a wall of flame and perished. 

Having given Idunn to Winter and then brought her back, Loki changed Idunn back to goddess form from seed form. She now had more apples than before, all fresh and new.

One person was not happy, however: Thiazi’s daughter Skadi. She was, in fact, totally pissed off about her father’s death, nevermind that he was the one who started all the trouble. Skadi demanded two things: that the Aesir make her laugh and provide her a husband.

“Loki, perhaps, you could entertain Skadi. My goats are right outside,” Thor joked suggestively.

Loki looked appalled. Given recent events, he was not in a jovial mood, and now he was turning outright angry. 

Sigyn noticed that Skadi had smiled at Thor’s comment. _Apparently, she has the same childish sense of humor as the rest of these dolts_ , thought Sigyn. _What do the simple-minded find funny? Oh, yes, balls!_

“Oh!” exclaimed Sigyn. “Speaking of goats, I know a story. You will like it, Skadi.” Sigyn proceeded to make up a story about Loki being tied to a goat. Skadi and all of the others except Loki erupted in laughter. 

“Mission accomplished. Skadi has laughed,” said Sigyn.

“Well done, Valkyrie,” said Skadi. “But, I still need a husband,” she added to Odin.

“Very well,” said Odin. “You may choose a husband, Skadi, but you must choose by their feet.”

“But…” started Skadi.

“That is my bargain,” snapped Odin. He ordered two guards to fetch a drape and all of the eligible men to stand behind it. Loki did not move. “Loki!” prompted Odin.

“What? Me? I do not think that she wants me,” protested Loki.

“No matter,” said Odin.

Loki glanced at Sigyn. She was glaring at him. By this time he knew a death threat when he saw one. He joined the other men behind the curtain, but before taking off his boots, he cast an illusion to make his feet look misshapen and hairy. 

Skadi predictably chose the most beautiful pair of feet but was disappointed to find out that they belonged to the old sea god Njord.

And so, the goddess of the hunt and winter became one of the Aesir.

Later, Sigyn and Loki met in his chambers. “Nice job with your feet,” said Sigyn.

“Same to you with your story,” said Loki.

“I am afraid I may have ruined your reputation,” she replied.

“I supposed that is better than me having to actually humiliate myself. Besides, I am sure that I already ruined my reputation myself with Svadilfari,” said Loki.

“You had to, and it benefitted Asgard. People will understand,” countered Sigyn. 

“No. No, they won’t,” said Loki.


	11. Ravnajuv - Part 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki's Tale (AU version)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is heathen (but NOT anti-Loki)!

**Loki’s Tale (AU version of the ballad)**

One Wednesday at the meeting in the throne room, Odin announced that he had been summoned to Midgard to help a man protect his son from a Jotun with whom he had lost a wager. Odin announced that he had turned the boy into a grain and hidden him in a field of barley-corn. Odin announced that when the Jotun came to harvest the crop, he summoned the boy to him and returned him to his parents. He had successfully hidden him from the Jotun.

“What good is that?” asked Sigyn. “The Jotun will return.”

Odin shrugged.

The next day another meeting was called in the throne room. Old Hønir announced that the same man had summoned him to protect his son from the same Jotun. Hønir announced that he had turned the boy into a feather of a swan. Hønir announced that when the Jotun came to slay the swan, he summoned the boy to him and returned him to his parents. He had successfully hidden him from the Jotun.

“What good is that?” asked Ragna. “The Jotun will return.”

Hønir shrugged.

The next morning, Loki awoke in bed next to Sigyn and announced, “I think I am being summoned.”

“The man of the Faroe Islands knows the old triumvirate,” said Sigyn knowingly.

Loki went off to see the man and demanded that he do his bidding. The man did as commanded and built a boathouse with a window barred with an iron rod. Loki then set off in a boat, caught three fish, and hid the boy as an egg in one. Loki then rowed back to land and met the Jotun. They set off together and caught three fish. As the Jotun counted the eggs, Loki summoned the boy to him and hid him behind him. When they landed ashore, the boy ran to the boathouse and slipped right in. The Jotun pursued him and lodged himself in the window, smashing his head on the bar. Loki cut off the Jotun’s shins for good measure. Loki returned the boy to his parents. He had successfully killed the Jotun.

“You could announce your deed to the others,” said Sigyn when Loki returned.

“What good is that?” asked Loki. “They will choose to not remember.”


	12. Ravnajuv - Part 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things in Asgard go more down hill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is heathen (but NOT anti-Loki)!

Centuries passed. Some more events happened that were later written about in Midgard with varying degrees of accuracy, but a general pattern of periods of calm and moments of chaos was maintained. Eventually, however, a larger tide seemed to finally turn.

Thor and Sif announced their divorce, accusing each other of unfaithfulness. “Red Thor” died his hair blond, saying it was preferred by the women of Midgard. Sif died her hair black, and Sigyn and Ragna were given the task of training her as a warrior. Sigyn wondered what this meant for the crops of Midgard, but she could not foresee the use of pesticides and the killing of bees and other disasters.

Then the day came when Odin first told the story of how he had obtained Mjølnir. He made up some nonsense about a dying star and a metal called “uru,” giving no credit to the dwarves who actually made it, nor to Loki, who had prompted them. Loki’s jaw dropped. Thor looked confused. Frigga looked uncomfortable.

“You know that is not true!” exclaimed Sigyn.

“Sigyn speaks truthfully,” said Ragna.

“Silence!” shouted the Odin. “I have had enough of both of you! You are both dismissed from this post. You will join the other Valkyries and serve in the dining hall, and I will replace you with women who know how to hold their tongues.”

“Father-“ protested Loki.

Odin cut him off with a wordless roar.

Sigyn and Ragna exited the throne room and stood outside the palace feeling shocked.

“I am sorry,” said Sigyn. “Perhaps I should not have said anything.”

“No,” said Ragna. “What is the point of being there if we are just decorations? We served him for a long time. Perhaps it is time for change.

“This new order of lies and oppression is what needs to change,” said Sigyn.

“Indeed,” said Ragna.

They hugged and said goodbye and went to their halls.

Loki soon came to Sigyn’s hall. “I’m sorry,” he said. “This is my fault.” He sat down next to her on the couch.

“No. No, it’s not,” responded Sigyn. “It is Odin’s fault. His lies are meant to rewrite history. I had always had some small hope that I could make him see reason. No longer do I have that hope.”

“Asgard will suffer without his wise Valkyries providing counsel,” said Loki. “Ragna always seemed smart too.”

“Yes, you would like her.”

“Are you suggesting something?” Loki asked slyly.

“No!” Sigyn laughed and smacked him on the arm. Loki laughed also and they playful wrestled until they fell off the couch and he booped her on the nose, the sign of victory.


	13. Ravnajuv - Part 13 & Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tragedy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is heathen (but NOT anti-Loki)!

“Order feeds from the corpses  
All beauty must die”  
-“Essence,” Enslaved

Odin replaced Ragna with a young girl who never spoke out to give any wise counsel. He replaced Sigyn with a vapid brunette named Gudrun, a newer arrival who knew of both the old ways and the new faith and could not always separate them. She was terrified of Loki and called him evil. Loki, of course, took full advantage of this, pranking her at every opportunity and threatening to bring about the end of the worlds if she told Odin. Sigyn had no love for Gudrun and only encouraged Loki’s behavior.

Sigyn was now more often summoned by Odin to go to Midgard and watch over wars. Out of spite, she carried her sword instead of her spear. By this time, however, not many warriors believed in them, so there were not many to bring back. 

When it was time to serve in the dining hall, Sigyn and Loki went back to their old habit of meeting near the kitchen and sneaking out. Sigyn used illusions to make it look as if she were wearing the serving outfit. 

One evening their mutual arrogance caught up with them. They left the dining hall to head to Loki’s chambers. As they rounded the corner of a hallway, they ran into two guards who were walking the other way. Loki recognized them as the guards from the weapons vault. They stopped and stared at Sigyn and him. 

“What are you doing here?” one said to her.

“You know that you should not be here,” said the other guard. “We will take her to be punished,” he added to Loki.

“No! I will take care of her,” said Loki sharply. He grabbed Sigyn roughly by the arm and pulled her to him. “What are you doing here?”

“I… I got lost,” she ventured.

“Don’t lie to your prince!” He slapped her. She knew what he was doing, but she was full of rage anyway. She looked down, covering her face with her hair and tried to seem repentant or some such thing, hiding the pride and contempt that were her nature. “You may leave,” Loki added to the guards. 

“Very well” said the first guard. They walked away. 

As soon as they were around the corner, Loki concealed them both, but before he knew it, Sigyn was holding her dagger to his throat.

“What the fuck, Loki?” she exclaimed.

“Please don’t. I just wanted to be believable. Perhaps in hindsight, you can think of a better plan? It was only for show. It was to protect you! You know that,” he pleaded. He put his hand on her cheek and caressed her.

“Yeah,” she conceded and put away her dagger. “Sometimes I forget that you are of Chaos.”

He looked hurt. “Should I have let them take you?”

“No,” she sighed. “Aren’t you a _prince_ though?” she spat. “Couldn’t you have just told them to go away?”

“You know that they work for Odin and would go to him,” he replied.

“I would say that I should have remembered to conceal myself, but I should not have to conceal myself,” she said in frustration.

“No, you should not,” agreed Loki.

“Let’s get out of here. I don’t want to be in the palace,” she said. 

They walked, now unseen, back to the kitchen, outside, and to Sigyn’s hall. She let him make love to her later, and he held her all night, but she slept fitfully.

When they awoke in the morning, Loki turned to Sigyn and said, “I should have killed them. I should have just killed the guards. Perhaps I still will some day.”

“OK,” said Sigyn distractedly.

“What are you thinking?” asked Loki.

“Too long have we waited. Too long have we hidden. Too long have we suffered. You must bring about the change we seek. _It’s what you do_ ,” said Sigyn.

Loki nodded. “If we cannot improve this world, then we will watch it burn,” he vowed and grinned malevolently.

Just then Sigyn’s ring from Odin started to glow. It strangely altered between gray-blue and dark blue. “Shit,” she muttered. “Odin is summoning me.” She got out of bed and magicked on her clothes.

“For battle?” asked Loki.

“Must be,” Sigyn replied.

They said goodbye not knowing that this would be the last time that they would see each other for centuries, for this was the fateful day that Odin would confront Sigyn and banish her to Midgard.

 

Epilogue

Days passed and then weeks. Loki could only wonder what had happened to Sigyn. Was she still mad? Enough to leave him? Had she decided that being with some idiot in Midgard might not be so bad after all and given up her Valkyrie status for a new mortal life? Had she been killed, and did she dwell in Niflheim now? What had happened when she went to see Odin? He could not very well ask him. Months and years dragged by. Later, he would also wonder if she had somehow found out that he was born of Jotuns. Perhaps Odin had told her. He had endless questions and no answers. All he knew was that all he had left was the family for whom he had never been good enough, who had betrayed him.

Eventually, he took a mistress. Her name was Angrboda, and she was a witch of Jotun blood. She was the complete opposite of Sigyn: tall, dark-haired, and voluptuous, and most glaringly, she never spoke of anything important. They did not talk, and they did not laugh; they only fucked. She was just an outlet for his anger and grief. He was careless and reckless, and they had three children born of hate and nightmares: a wolf who was fated to kill Odin, a serpent who was fated to kill Thor, and a girl who was neither quite alive nor dead.

As for Sigyn, she wandered Midgard like the old Odin used to do. She saw truths turned into stories and stories lose their meaning. She saw wars rage more than ever in the names of the new god of peace that had replaced the war gods. She saw humanity court chaos with their increasing numbers that overtaxed the earth. She saw that one thing was more relevant now than ever: fire - the need for change. 

She thought of Loki and longed for him. She would sometimes return to the spot near the gorge where she had died and watch Midgard’s ravens gather, and she thought of what they used to represent - everything that they had lost. She remembered watching the flames of her foster father’s ironworks melt metal to be shaped into new, better things. It was no coincidence that Loki was always the one who had to go to the dwarves and get them to make the treasures of the gods or give them their gold. She burned with sorrow and hate and contempt and bided her time until their opportunity came. 

 

[Note: Continued later here: [Fight Your Fate](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4023793)]


End file.
